Political systems come and go, but gold always outlasts them all... Originally issued in 1923 under the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic government, the chervonetz trade coinage carried the same gold content as previously found in the 10 roubles coins minted from 1898-1911 under Tsar Nicholas II. Somewhat following the tradition of the British Sovereign, beginning in 1975 the government of the U.S.S.R. (CCCP) drew upon the classic RSFSR (PCOCP) design (albeit with modern dates) as the form for production of bullion-type coinage to compete in the world with the South African Krugerrand bullion coinage that was growing in popularity. You may recall, an act of Congress had taken effect so that 1975 marked the first year since 1933 that it was again lawful for Americans to enjoy ownership of gold bullion, and the gold price at that time climbed from $42 to nearly $200.

Looking back with the comfort of hindsight, the Cold War may have frozen your nerves, but this gold coinage will surely warm your heart -- an interesting token of modern history, demonstrating how substance triumphs over form as the contained gold value withstood the collapse of both the government and its currency.